The Road to the White House

Starting January 15, voters in every state and U.S. territory as well as the District of Columbia pick their favorite candidate in a primary or a caucus (political party meeting). These contests determine which Democratic and Republican candidates will become their party’s official nominee.

March 5 is Super Tuesday—the day when the greatest number of states hold primaries and caucuses. Super Tuesday is often a turning point: By the time the votes are counted, one or two candidates for each party likely have a clearer lead, causing many other candidates to drop out of the race.

Delegates from each state attend their party’s national convention. Based on their state’s primary or caucus results, they nominate a candidate and that person’s choice for vice president. This year, the Republican convention is July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Democratic convention is August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The official nominees for president share the stage at televised debates, giving voters a chance to see how they respond to challenging questions about key issues. The vice presidential candidates also have at least one debate. The party nominees continue to crisscross the nation, making speeches, giving interviews to reporters, and appearing in election ads to connect with voters.

Some states allow early voting in person or by mail, but Tuesday, November 5—Election Day—is the last chance to cast a ballot. Candidates for the House of Representatives, some Senate seats, and some state and local offices are on the ballot too. But voters don’t directly elect a president: They are choosing electors—special delegates who pledge to vote for a particular candidate. Each state’s number of electors is based on its population.

On Tuesday, December 17, the electors chosen in the November election gather in each state. Together, they make up the Electoral College. They cast the official votes for president and vice president. There are 538 electors. A candidate needs votes from at least 270 electors to win.

On January 6 of every year following a presidential election, members of the U.S. Congress gather to count the electoral votes. The incumbent (currently in office) vice president oversees the count and announces the official winner. Usually, this process is just a formality. However, if no candidate has won at least 270 electoral votes, House members choose the president and senators pick the vice president. (That has happened only twice: in 1800 and 1824.)

A new four-year presidential term begins on January 20. At the inauguration, the winning candidate takes the oath of office, vowing to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That evening, the president celebrates at the inaugural ball before diving into the job of running the country.

Who picks the official Democratic and Republican nominees for president? Voters in every state—through primaries and caucuses. The Democratic nominee is most likely to be President Joe Biden, who is running for reelection with little opposition. When this issue went to press, eight Republicans were competing to be their party’s nominee. Here’s a look at the contests that will determine the victor.

Voters in national elections must be 18 or older and U.S. citizens. In most states, people can vote in a party’s contest only if they have registered in advance as a member of that party. Some states let independent voters choose one party’s contest to vote in.

Notes: Dates are subject to change.
TBD = to be determined

It’s a big country! Staggered dates let candidates campaign in a few states at a time. There are pros and cons to this system:

As their state’s date approaches, voters may get a chance to see candidates in person.

Candidates who lose in early contests tend to drop out. That can give votes in states with early dates more weight than ones that are cast later.